Duleep Trophy 2010-2011

[Chandan]

Though I agree that while selecting teams for domestic tournaments, selectors should look at future potential for country, but at the same time these tournaments should not be considered just selection trials for natinal team. If selectors do that, then they are undermining these prestigious trophies. If I was selector of any zonal team for Duleep trophy, my first aim would have been to select a team which will get trophy to my zone. In process I'll also try to give chances to players who can be future players for India. Lack of quality batsmen from CZ might have forced selectors to go for Kaif and ofcourse he justified his selection. On the sidenote, isn't Sunil Joshi still playing Ranji for Karnataka? What chances he has of playing for India again?

Sunil Joshi has not been included in south zone team. Now here is an interesting news: Politics in the selection of XI of East Zone squad? ACA moves CAB over selection A STAFF REPORTER Guwahati, Jan. 24: The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has moved the BCCI east zone convenor Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) against fielding Bengal spinner Iresh Saxena in the East Zone playing XI when a better rated spinner from Assam, Arlen Konwar, cooled his heels in the dressing room in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final match against Central Zone at Barabati stadium in Cuttack last week. The playing XI, led by Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary as skipper, comprised five players from Bengal, four from Orissa and two from Jharkhand, while all three players from Assam — Konwar, Abu Nechim Ahmed and Tarjinder Singh — and Timir Chanda of Tripura, were left sitting on the reserve bench. East Zone lost the match by nine wickets. “A similar situation arose last season when we were the convenors of the zone and Orissa players were left out of the playing XI. The Orissa Cricket Association had then moved us and we took appropriate action. We sought explanations from the coach, team manager and the then skipper Saurav Tiwary. Then a meeting was held at Cuttack, and a resolution was adopted that such issues would not arise in future,” ACA secretary Bikash Baruah said. “Thus, we have also moved the zonal convenor this time and are awaiting justice from the CAB. We have also marked a copy to the BCCI. Had Saxena been a better performer than Konwar, it would have been justifiable, and we would not have raised the matter. There has been no comparison between the two last season. Konwar is a much better performer, beyond any doubt,” Baruah added. According to sources in the team, it was skipper Tiwari who insisted on Saxena. “We are expecting justice from the zonal convenor and if not, we will move the BCCI in its general meeting,” the ACA secretary added. This is not the first time that Konwar has been deprived of opportunities in zonal outfits. He had been overlooked several times during selection of the zonal team in the past. This time, problems cropped up ever since the selection meeting in Calcutta, when the Assam representative Subhrajit Saikia refused to sign the team list and turned down an offer to coach the team, expressing displeasure over the selection panel overlooking paceman Ahmed and all-rounder Gokul Sharma. Ahmed was eventually included in the squad, following pullout by seasoned Bengal player Lakshmi Ratan Shukla.

[Chandan]

its better they play Ranji ODI tournament rather than Duleep

Kabira, A Ranji can NEVER be an ODI, please! Thats a big blooper! Please say either Ranji One Dayers or Ranji 50 overs matches or Ranji Limited Over matches, or simply List A matches! I hope you don't mind me pointing it out!

[Raghav_12]

Sunil Joshi has not been included in south zone team.

Point is same. If only purpose of domestic tournaments is to provide future potentials, as many people seems to suggest here, then why Joshi should be in team for Ranji?

[pensionplan]

Point is same. If only purpose of domestic tournaments is to provide future potentials' date=' as many people seems to suggest here, then why Joshi should be in team for Ranji?[/quote']Just let me make myself clear. If a player regardless of age or potential to play for India does well be it in Ranji or other FC fixtures by all indicators they are with in the means who have earned it to make it to the Zonal teams. As a matter of fact I think Jaffer and Chopra should and have been selected and have been selected for their zonal teams on the basis of performance. Same goes true for Sunil Joshi or any other player. My issue here is Kaif did not do well in the Ranji trophy and did not earn that call up to the CZ team. I am of the view unless a player has a realistic chance to represent India or coming off a injury lay off to prove his fitness before going on to play for India as an exception none of the other players should be selected for Zonal teams if their performance in the Ranji trophy is below par. When it comes to Kaif this season that was the case where he was outperformed by many lesser known players and he was not even one of the top 50 run scorers. Despite CZ's lesser batting talents given where Kaif is as a cricketer today and what he did in the Ranji trophy this season I would not have selected him and given that chance instead to a younger player that perhaps would have made better use of the opportunity and meant more looking at the bigger picture. That Kaif scored a century does not invalidate the broader point I am trying to make here which was after the fact. Hope that makes it much clearer.

[Chandan]

Just let me make myself clear. If a player regardless of age or potential to play for India does well be it in Ranji or other FC fixtures by all indicators they are with in the means who have earned it to make it to the Zonal teams. As a matter of fact I think Jaffer and Chopra should and have been selected and have been selected for their zonal teams on the basis of performance. Same goes true for Sunil Joshi or any other player. My issue here is Kaif did not do well in the Ranji trophy and did not earn that call up to the CZ team. I am of the view unless a player has a realistic chance to represent India or coming off a injury lay off to prove his fitness before going on to play for India as an exception none of the other players should be selected for Zonal teams if their performance in the Ranji trophy is below par. When it comes to Kaif this season that was the case where he was outperformed by many lesser known players and he was not even one of the top 50 run scorers. Despite CZ's lesser batting talents given where Kaif is as a cricketer today and what he did in the Ranji trophy this season I would not have selected him and given that chance instead to a younger player that perhaps would have made better use of the opportunity and meant more looking at the bigger picture. That Kaif scored a century does not invalidate the broader point I am trying to make here which was after the fact. Hope that makes it much clearer.

Ok. Got your point. But you are not the selector, and thank heavens, Lord, God and everyone for that! Now can you please close the topic? Do you have anything to contribute on the ongoing competion? Can you say anything about the upcoming semifinals? If not, then, then don't drag your insane topic on and on!

[pensionplan]

Ok. Got your point. But you are not the selector, and thank heavens, Lord, God and everyone for that!

Hmm...ok..I am not... But are you one? As if people with only selection powers are allowed to comment on selections.

Now can you please close the topic? Do you have anything to contribute on the ongoing competion? Can you say anything about the upcoming semifinals? If not, then, then don't drag your insane topic on and on!

Let people say what they want to say. I do not think anyone should have a problem with that. This request looks a bit over the top to me frankly speaking.

[Chandan]

Duleep Trophy Semi-final : North Zone v West Zone at Vadodara and Central Zone v South Zone at Hyderabad (Deccan), Jan 26-29, 2011 LIVE SCORES: Semi-final 1: North Zone v West Zone Semi-final 2: South Zone v Central Zone Semi- final 1 North Zone v West Zone at Vadodara PREVIEW Formidable task ahead of North VADODARA, January 25, 2011 Amit Mishra is banking on support from his zonal teammates after being named North Zone skipper for the Duleep Trophy 2011 semifinals against defending champion West Zone. Thrust into the captaincy hot seat, the leg-spinner is expected to do more than shoulder the visitor's bowling attack over four days at Motibaug cricket ground. “The two days I spent with the players here was rewarding. I get the feeling that I can count on their support in the days ahead.” Mishra turned his arm over for a long time at the nets on match-eve, an indication of the mindset to gear himself up for the long haul on a track known to support bowlers. North Zone's problem, and the captain's too, is the absence strike bowlers like Ishant Sharma. “Nobody comes into Duleep Trophy without performing in domestic cricket. The bowlers in my squad know what is expected from them and each one has consistent performances to back him,” said the North skipper. The leg-spinner will team up with Vikas Mishra in the spin department, hoping that hard-working medium-pacers Sumit Narwal, Joginder Sharma and Pawan Suyal do enough to exert pressure on a West Zone batting line-up, formidable despite the absence of India players Rohit Sharma, Parthiv Patel from the original squad announced for the four-day tie. While Rohit and Patel were tired after returning from South Africa on Monday afternoon, North skipper Amit Mishra did not give any clear reason for Ishant's absence. Sangram Atitkar replaced Rohit in the West squad while North added Vikas Mishra and Suraj Yadav to their 15-member roaster. But both captains opted to look at things positively, saying the absence of the big stars would provide opportunity for the youngsters to gather experience. "It is a good opportunity for youngsters to shine," said West skipper Wasim Jaffer. The former India opener insisted that inter-zonal matches were the real test of talent and he was confident that the youngsters would live up the challenge. West captain Wasim Jaffer, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane place a high premium on their wicket and relish grinding the bowling attack to dust. Jaffer led West to victory in the Duleep Trophy last year and is upbeat about his team's ability to play competitive cricket. “Last year was a fantastic experience. Yusuf Pathan's knock in the final (210 off 190 balls against South Zone) was special.” Pathan's absence at the Motibaug, his home ground, will be felt, but Jaffer, Pujara and Rahane have the patience and strokes to take apart attacks in less brutal ways. Harshad Khadiwale, Pinal Shah can be effective at the crease in supporting roles. West also has in Murtuza Vahora, Jaidev Unadkat and Ravindra Jadeja bowlers familiar with the Motibaug track, apart from wicket-keeper Pinal to advise captain Jaffer. Faced with such a formidable opposition, Mishra will be hoping for runs from experienced batsmen Mithun Manhas and Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the North Zone batting order, so that he can wear down West's resistance over long spells. Last year when these two sides met in the Duleep semifinalss at Rajkot, West had piled up 769 in a drawn game, boosted by 259 from Abhishek Nayar and 109 from Ramesh Powar to advance on basis of first-innings lead. Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan shared five wickets between them as North was bowled out for 294. All four are absent from the 2011 squad for various reasons, leaving captain Jaffer to work out the winning way with a new group. The teams (from): North: Amit Mishra (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Mithun Manhas, Uday Kaul (wk), Yashpal Singh, Paras Dogra, Joginder Sharma, Sarul Kanwar, Mandeep Singh, Sumit Narwal, Pawan Suyal, Vikas Mishra, Rishi Dhawan, Nitin Saini (wk), Suraj Yadav. West: Wasim Jaffer (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Pinal Shah (wk), Cheteshwar Pujara, Shrikant Munde, Jaidev Unadkat, Samad Fallah, Bhargav Bhatt, Ravindra Jadeja, Murtuza Vahora, Sahil Kukreja, Kedar Devdhar, Harshad Khadivale, Sangram Atitkar. Umpires: Shahvir Tarapore, Subrata Das. Match Referee: B. Kalyansunderam. ------- Semi- final 2 South Zone vs Central Zone PREVIEW Two good teams lock horns It is yet another chance for the forgotten stars of Indian cricket to serve a reminder and the fringe players to come up with special performances to push themselves into reckoning. The timing of the Duleep Trophy — after the South African tour and the World Cup selection — may still invite some criticism. Yet, the four-day Duleep Trophy semifinal between last year's finalist South Zone and Central Zone which gets underway at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Wednesday can still be a huge opportunity to keep the cricketers in the limelight. Hope, they say, is an eternal motivating factor. And this one big factor should be good enough to spur cricketers like South captain Subramaniam Badrinath or Central's fast bowler Pankaj Singh, who his captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar believes is doing everything right now to be close to getting a national call. All praise Aakash Chopra, one of the stars in Rajasthan's Ranji Trophy title-triumph this season, was all praise for the curator at the Barabati Stadium when Central staged one of the most remarkable comebacks, after conceding the lead, to knock out East Zone. And, the semifinal venue here might well be a different and difficult proposition for the bowlers given the nature of the soil. Not long ago, Indian captain M.S. Dhoni made fun of the wicket for the first Test against New Zealand saying that there would have been no result even if the match were to go on for 10 more days. HCA curator Y. L. Chandrasekhar hinted that he wanted to wipe off that image and would leave a greenish tinge on the wicket to help the bowlers too this time around. He is aware that all the handsome praise he earned was for preparing wickets more suited for shorter versions — one-dayers and the T20. “Given the fact that the Indian team is playing right through the year, there is nothing called ***-end of the season. The onus is on us to keep performing,” said Badrinath to a query even while stressing that the semifinal should be a keen contest between two very good teams. “I don't think whatever grass is left on the pitch is that threatening. It should be a good wicket for both batsmen and bowlers,” he said. He also informed that fast bowler S. Sreesanth and opener Murali Vijay are not available for this match and their replacements would be left-armer Prashant Parameshwaran and Robin Uthappa. Crucial toss For his part, Central captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar too believes that the toss should not be a crucial one. “All that matters is how well you play over the next four days. I am really happy that this match gives a huge platform for many players to come good,” he explained. The teams (from): South Zone: S. Badrinath (capt.), Amit Verma, M. Gautam (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Abhinav Mukund, Manish Pandey, B. Sandeep, B. Sumanth, Robin Uthappa, S. Aravind, Shadab Jakati, Abhimanyu Mithun, Pragyan Ojha, A.G. Pradeep, Prashanth Parameshwaran and Vinay Kumar. Central Zone: Hrishikesh Kanitkar (capt.), Deepak Chahar, Mohammad Kaif, Ashok Menaria, Naman Ojha (wk), Jalaj Saxena, R.P. Singh, Umesh Yadav, Devendra Bundela, Aakash Chopra, Murali Karthik, Mohnish Mishra, Pankaj Singh, Vineet Saxena and Akshay Wakhare. Umpires: Brian Jerling (South Africa) & S.N. Bandekar. Match Referee: Sunil Chaturvedi.

[rkt.india]

It would be interesting to see if suraj yadav plays or not..He had good debut ranji season for services...He bowls with a whippy action and pace

[The Outsider]

Why are guys like Ishant, Rohit, and Parthiv not playing? Ishant has not played since the end of the test series and can certainly do with some bowling in match conditions. Rohit could hardly put bat to ball and Parthiv played just 2 ODIs. NZ looks really weak and unless the Baroda pitch is a patta where they bat first and put up a big total, they have no chance.

[saneindian]

Why are guys like Ishant, Rohit, and Parthiv not playing? Ishant has not played since the end of the test series and can certainly do with some bowling in match conditions. Rohit could hardly put bat to ball and Parthiv played just 2 ODIs. NZ looks really weak and unless the Baroda pitch is a patta where they bat first and put up a big total, they have no chance.

Exactly. Those guys should be playing and every atch they can play in. They all reached India today and should have been asked to join the teams they belong to. Poor from these youngsters.

[Sooda]

Central pace attack vs the South batting will be interesting. Sree Santh and Vijay both not playing too- both 'resting' apparently... not sure if they had THAT tiring tours. Vijay at least should play, facing Pankaj, RP and co would have been a good test. Uthappa has taken his place, and its a pretty strong looking batting lineup- Mukund, Uthappa, Badri, Pandey, D Kartik Hopefully Ashwin is playing and that means South attack of Mithun, Vinay Kumar, Ojha...good balanced side should be favourites for this one...long as they can see off the CZ new ball bowlers, esp if batting first...

[Sooda]

Whatever happened to Tanmay Srivastava, was a pretty exciting opener a few years back, good for U19s and did well for UP too when they reached the final in 09... dosent seem to be in the squad for CZ even...

[pensionplan]

Narwal is the guy I am interested in how he bowls. P.S:-He is on my radar for IPL scouting purposes.

[Chandan]

Why are guys like Ishant, Rohit, and Parthiv not playing? Ishant has not played since the end of the test series and can certainly do with some bowling in match conditions. Rohit could hardly put bat to ball and Parthiv played just 2 ODIs. NZ looks really weak and unless the Baroda pitch is a patta where they bat first and put up a big total, they have no chance.

While Rohit and Patel were tired after returning from South Africa on Monday afternoon' date=' North skipper Amit Mishra did not give any clear reason for Ishant's absence. [/quote'] I think West is the one which is missing more players like Rohit, Parthiv, Yusuf, Munaf-- all these players could have been invaluable to the side. But then North is also missing Sehwag, Gambhir, Kohli, Yuvraj, Harbhajan and Ishant. North's attack of Narwal, Sharma, Suyal, Mishra and Mishra does look weak and it seems that South will be meeting West, unless Central pull off another of its miracles!

[rkt.india]

Narwal is the guy I am interested in how he bowls. P.S:-He is on my radar for IPL scouting purposes.

Narwal is nothing special..i saw him bowling for RR last IPL...I looking forward for Suyal, a left arm decently quick bowler...did well this season too

[pensionplan]

Narwal is nothing special..i saw him bowling for RR last IPL...I looking forward for Suyal' date=' a left arm decently quick bowler...did well this season too[/quote']I was just a little excited after I saw his Ranji performance this season and wanted to see how he does here in the Zonal match. You are perhaps right, Suyal may be a better bet.

[rkt.india]

I saw first 14.1 over today live....and was hoping to catch some bowling of RP, Pankaj, Yadav, and batting of likes of Mukund... Mukund looked decent but is headless chicken against bouncers...RP and Pankaj only bolwed 2 bouncers in first 14 overs and both to him and he was in trouble on both occasions.. RP Singh still looks overweight..he was just ambling in....his fastest was bowled at 133 and was mostly around 127 to 130 range...Pankaj is the slowest..Though he puts a lot of effort but I don't get why he struggles to touch even 130...his lack of pace is a big obstacle him getting a lot of wicket and better strike rate and average...if he could have bowled up to 135...he is mainly in 125 to 128 range for his 7 over spell..fastest was 130 he bowled on two occasions... and at last Yadav...that is why I get so excited about him.....I saw only one ball of him which resulted in run out of Badrinath...it was his first bowl of the spell....he just ambled in, even slower than RP and bowled a short of length first ball at 137 kph without much effort....and then I was hoping him to crank it up more..power cut and then i had to go to work and I was late today just to watch a few overs coz usually I leave at 9 o'clock daily and one more thing Robin Uthappa was unfortunately given out leg side caught behind by Umpire Brian Jerling that was a poor decision....

[Raghav_12]

any link for scores of matches?

[pensionplan]

I saw first 14.1 over today live....and was hoping to catch some bowling of RP, Pankaj, Yadav, and batting of likes of Mukund... Mukund looked decent but is headless chicken against bouncers...RP and Pankaj only bolwed 2 bouncers in first 14 overs and both to him and he was in trouble on both occasions.. RP Singh still looks overweight..he was just ambling in....his fastest was bowled at 133 and was mostly around 127 to 130 range...Pankaj is the slowest..I don't get why he struggles to touch even 130...his lack of pace is a big obstacle him getting a lot of wicket and better strike rate and average...if he could have bowled up top 135...he is mainly in 125 to 128 range for his 7 over spell..fastest was 130 he bowled on two occasions... and at last Yadav...that is why I get so excited about him.....I saw only one ball of him which resulted in run out of Badrinath...it was his first bowl of the spell....he just ambled in, even slower than RP and bowled a short of length first ball at 137 kph without much effort....and then I was hoping him to crank it up more..power cut and then i had to go to work and I was late today just to watch a few overs coz usually I leave at 9 o'clock daily and one more thing Robin Uthappa was unfortunately given out leg side caught behind by Umpire Brian Jerling that was a poor decision....

Nice summary. RP with the IPL money and all seems to be going through the motions for sometime now. No motivation perhaps.

[pensionplan]

Wanted to see Badrinath score big. Based on the above summary looked to be cut short by that Run Out.